An invitation to beta test Battlefield 3 will be included in a Medal of Honor Limited Edition that will also include additional perks, announces Electronic Arts, the first overt confirmation of development of the next installment in DICE's military shooter series other than an offhand reference to investors by EA's John Pleasants and another comment by Fredrik Liliegren, co-founder and former CEO of DICE. EA Games and the Medal of Honor Website have a bit more on the BF3 beta offer, which for some reason is contingent on the launch of testing within twelve months of the release of Medal of Honor, currently scheduled for Oct. 12, 2010 in North America and Oct. 15 in Europe. Here is the stipulation: "Beta offer is contingent on Beta availability within 12 months of Medal of Honor release. Beta will be available for a limited time only and offer expires upon close of Beta events. Participation in Beta requires acceptance of Beta Agreement. Must be 18+. Xbox GOLD membership required for Xbox users. Check this site for further details when available."

DICE designer Alan 'Demize99' Kertz talks about the effort they are putting into the PC port of Battlefield 3, the next installment in their military shooter sequel, showing a straightforward understanding of the concerns PC players have about consolization (thanks Ant via Planet Battlefield). Here's a bit:

Consoles generally are less tolerant of overly complex interfaces. They have less buttons, you need more elegant interfaces. Deep systems work well though if they have a straight forward interface. The fun is not in figuring out how to use the system, it's in figuring out how to best use the system.

PC players have their own set of requirements. They tend to play only on PC, and they know their PCs have capabilities beyond that of a console. The gap is narrowing, but PCs still have a clear advantage in memory. PC players also demand a PC interface, a server browser, and anything that feels like it might have been "ported" from a console is going to get flamed hard. They are more forgiving of complex systems and will tear any design down into its parts to really figure out how it works. It's a damn sight harder to please a PC player, they have higher expectations.

It's too early to talk BF3 specifics. But it's never too early for me to acknowledge that PC players have a fear that BF3 will be "consolized." PC gaming is alive and well, BFBC2 has proven that and no one at DICE or EA can argue with the numbers. Battlefield 3 needs an extra bit of special attention on the PC. I intend to give it that attention, tradition and our community demand it.

Patrick: -A lot of people ask us about 64 versus 128 or 256 players. Technically, we can go to 256, we’ve tried it. We play tested with 128. You’ve got to make a game that’s fun to play. And, arguably, we think that the most fun you can have is when it’s between 32 and 40 players. And we’ve done substantial research into this and tested 128 and that it’s not fun. Maybe we haven't done our design work good enough, but we just feel like there's no point in going higher than 64.

The biggest, most high-profile battle between two games will be this year’s Call of Duty and Battlefield 3. Electronic Arts had notified fans that the shooter would be releasing this fall; the same schedule period the new Call of Duty title is penned for a launch. Now a possible release date has been outed by EA.

The possible Battlefield 3 release date has supposedly been confirmed via the EA Download Manager as can be seen below. If the November 2nd release date turns out to be true, it will definitely clash with Call of Duty for the top shooter this holiday season.

Whatever the release date is, Battlefield 3 is shaping up to be on of 2011?s standout titles.

We’ve gotten some confirmation on the Battlefield 3 launch date, and a few more interesting tidbits regarding its marketing campaign.

EA CEO John Riccitiello spoke at an ad conference in New York, where he revealed that Battlefield 3 will launch this November, and will be paired with a $100 million marketing campaign from EA in order to fight off Activision’s Modern Warfare 3. Riccitiello specifically called out Modern Warfare 3, and noted: “This game [Battlefield 3, ed.] is designed to take down that game [Modern Warfare 3, ed.].”

It’s been speculated for a while that both Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 will launch during the hectic November month. Regarding Battlefield 3?s chances of topping the best-selling Call of Duty franchise, Webush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter has said that Battlefield 3 has no chance of topping Modern Warfare 3 this Fall.

How things play out this Fall is up in the air at the moment, as we’ve seen limited footage of Battlefield 3, and it’s only been the singleplayer part. On top of that, we’ve got no information on Modern Warfare 3 at all. One thing is certain: Activision and EA are gearing up for a big battle this Fall, and both are prepared to spend a lot of money marketing.

The first of a series of "Battleblogs" has been posted on Electronic Arts' Battlefield 3 website, with lead multiplayer designer Lars Gustavsson offering a few details on the October 25 release's multiplayer. The underlying idea behind all of the team's efforts is pretty simple: "We're not telling you how to play the game," Gustavsson writes. "You choose."

In the case of Battlefield 3's multiplayer, choice involves giving people a wider range of options to choose from when they want to shoot virtual people online. One example is the return of Team Deathmatch, a game type which has been absent from the series since Battlefield 1942. Players will also be able to opt for infantry-only matches, which cut vehicles out of the battlefield. The expected Conquest and Rush modes will be back as well, but that too ties in with the idea of giving players more flexibility.

Gustavsson is careful to note that there's more to come beyond confirmation of TDM and infantry-only matches. Additional Battlefield 3 multiplayer details are promised soon, with more multiplayer modes and "new features that change how you can play the game" still to be revealed.

This brings us to two new features in Battlefield 3: Bipods and Suppressive Fire. Bipods have a very practical use, especially for LMGs, as they provide a substantial increase in stability while laying down a base of fire. Bipods can be deployed anywhere by zooming in with your LMG when prone, or when standing/kneeling in front of suitable supports, such as a window sill. The stability created by deploying a Bipod gives players a massive boost in accuracy and recoil reduction. You’ll be able to unload an entire clip of 200 bullets from your LMG with great accuracy without even letting go of the trigger, all thanks to the Bipod.

Suppressive Fire is a new in-game mechanic that changes how you can play the game. When you lay down fire in close vicinity to an enemy, the incoming barrage will show up as a graphical blur effect on his screen to stress him and let him know it’s not safe to pop out from behind cover. Just as importantly, this mechanic also affects his character’s in-game firing accuracy, making him less of a threat by using real world tactics. Better yet? You get team play experience points for doing so!

Just like previous Battlefield games, Battlefield 3’s multiplayer will come with four different classes (or kits for those of you playing at home). Dice often reminds gamers of how important it thinks the classes are to the Battlefield experience, and that mentality probably explains why they’ve remained relatively untouched from Bad Company 2.

I personally don’t see the need to change the classes as the ones included seem to cover all bases when it comes to replicating a battlefield in a virtual setting. Adding a “sniper”, “spy” or “assassin” class would probably be overkill, especially considering that any type of gamer that might be interested in those classes can get exactly what they want from the likes of Recon and Engineer.

If you’re playing Battlefield for the first time, or even an FPS online for the first time, it’s important that you understand what each of the classes offer, as they are designed to suit specific styles of play. While all classes are relatively flexible in that you can use them all if you’re the spontaneous type of player that just wants all-out action, using them as intended is recommended so that you get the most out of the Battlefield online experience.

So which class is for you? How can you possibly know what sort of gamer you are if you’ve never played? Well, hopefully this guide will prepare you for what’s in store when Battlefield 3 hits story shelves this September.

Assault

The Assault class – otherwise known as the “everyman’s class” – comes equipped with a primary weapon of the assault rifle variety, meaning you’ll have access to guns like the M4 and AK-47.

The Assault class has also been merged with the medic class, meaning there is more of an obligation bestowed on anyone that takes the class up in action. Anyone using this class can heal and revive teammates, which is a nice little change for the class, but suited considering how lively and on-the-move any game using the class would need to be.

If you’re not particularly keen on having the burden of medic on your shoulders you’ll be able to swap out the revive kit for a devastating grenade launcher.

Assault Weapons

USMC:

M16A4 assault rifle M9 sidearm Grenade launcher or defibrillator kit

Russains:

AEK-971 MP-443 Grenade launcher or defibrillator kit

Best Suited For The All-Rounder

The good thing about the Assault class is that it offers a robust gameplay experience, one that should suit most gamers whether they be a newcomer to the series or a hardended veteran. With the introduction of the medic abilities a soldier running the Assault class can be a real team player, yet still have the loadout to be on the front lines and cause some damage.

Support

The Support class has been tweaked from Bad Company 2, with the focus on making the class more of an actual support class, bestowing the responsibility its name alludes to.

The main purpose of this class is to provide support fire from a Light Machine Gun, as well as resupply teammates with ammunition. Unlike other Support class implementations, Battlefield 3’s class comes equipped with weapons far more powerful than in previous Battlefield games, as well as a little flashlight that can blind enemies in dark places momentarily.

With the implementation of the suppression mechanic the Support class has become more than just an Assault soldier with a bigger gun. This class is well suited to someone who is a team player, someone who defends an area or provides fire cover for their squad mates.

Engineer

The Engineer class remains relatively untouched from Bad Company 2. The main objective of anyone using this class is to engage tanks and armored vehicles with the likes of an RPG-7 or AT4 rocket launcher.

This class’s primary weapon variers, with a number of unlockable weapons, such as shotguns and sub machine guns, all available for use.

The Engineer is the go to guy when vehicles are involved. If you squad is going to be spending a lot of time with tanks or other vehicles you’ll want an Engineer on stand-by to fix your damaged goods. However they also play an integral part of setting up a successful defence from incoming tank rushes, thanks to their mines and rocket launcher.

Recon

While the Recon class is essentially Battlefield 3’s sniper class, there is more to the class than as been the case in previous games. This class will also have the ability to call in artillery strikes, which is expected to be an unlock. The Recon class can also equip C4 explosives in order to blow up vehicles or map objectives.

You’ll want to be quiet and still, hidden from site while keeping an eye on the battlefield. You’ll be able to tag targets for your team-mates while also having the ability to score a headshot from hundreds of meters away. Perfect for someone who likes a little tactical combat, or perhaps those happy campers we all hate.

A post on the game's official blog from general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson runs through the main areas of concern, including tweaks to Quick Match functionality, server availability, lag issues and general game stability.

Here are the salient points:

Quick Match functionality - Thanks to a server patch that went live yesterday, the developer has seen "a big increase in quick match functionality on consoles." DICE reckons you should be able to join a quick match "the majority of times" without hiccups. Joining squads - Some users have complained of difficulties joining and staying in squads on console. DICE has "identified the cause of this problem and will hopefully have a fix ready to roll out very soon." Hardcore server availability - The developer has solved an issue that made hardcore servers disappear after being live for a set period of time. Lag and rubber banding - A bug causing console users to experience lag and rubber banding, particularly in Conquest mode on Tehran Highway and Caspian Border, has been stamped on. Default region setting in server browser - Some players, mainly in the US, have had their default region setting in the server browser set to Europe, resulting in lag and rubber banding. A fix is pending in the "very near future." Game stability - A server patch that went live today made numerous improvements to overall game stability, hopefully meaning fewer game crashes. Origin installation and authentication issues - An Origin update scheduled for later this month should address most of users' problems with EA's platform.